Ingredients for Pepper Chicken:

• Chicken (1 – 2 lbs) (I used boneless and skinless chicken thighs, you could use chicken breast or chicken cut into pieces with bones)
• Onion (3 – 4 medium sized sliced)
• Garlic (2 – 3 thinly sliced)
• Ginger-Garlic paste (1 tbsp)
• Curry Leaves (1 spring)
• Turmeric Powder (1 1/2 tsp)
• Chili Powder (1 tbsp)
• Coriander Powder (1 tbsp)
• Garam Masala (1/2 tbsp)
• Black Pepper (7-8 tbsp you can use more or less on how spicy you want)
• Lemon Juice (1/2 lemon)
• Oil
• Salt (To taste)

Ingredients for Cumin Rice:

• Basmati Rice (2 cups, soaked in water for 10-15 minutes)
• Cumin (2-3 tbsp)
• Cilantro (1/2 bunch finely chopped)
• Lemon Juice (1 lemon)
• Ghee (1 tbsp) (You can use oil instead)

Directions:

Marinate the chicken with salt and turmeric (1 tsp) and leave it for 15 -20 minutes.

In a hot pan, add oil and once the oil is heated up add garlic and let it cook for 30 seconds. Add then onion and cook it till it turns translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook it for 40 seconds and then add the curry leaves and cook it for another 10 seconds.

Now, add the chicken and stir it a little. Cover the the pan with the lid and let it cook on medium heat for 5 – 10 minutes. Once the chicken starts oozing out water add all the ground spices (Turmeric, Chili, Coriander, Garam Masala and Black Pepper). Mix it all very well, if you want some gravy to the chicken add a cup of water and let it cook for another 15-20 minutes or till the chicken is well cooked. Add the lemon juice and serve it with rice.

For rice, bring 4 cups of water (For every cup of rice use 2 cups of water) to boil in a pot. In another pot add the ghee and once hot add the cumin and let it crackle. Drain the water from the rice and then add it to the pot and give it a nice stir. Cook it for a minute or two and then add the boiling water in. Cook for 10-15 minutes on medium heat till the rice cooked all the way through.